Paint mixer



Dec. 14, 1965 c. s. SIMMONDS 3,223,389

PAINT MIXER Filed Feb. 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVE N TOR. @[yde S.Simmonds BY MW /MAW Dec. 14, 1965 c. s. SIMMONDS PAINT MIXER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1964 United States Patent 3,223,389 PAINTMIXER Clyde S. Simmonds, 6108 Elder Creek Road, Sacramento, Calif. FiledFeb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,795 3 Claims. (Cl. 259-106) This inventionrelates in general to a portable, electric motor driven paint mixer, andparticularly to one mainly intended for mixing paint in large cans suchas the standard five gallon size or larger.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a portable, electricmotor driven paint mixer having mixing paddles which in an initialfolded position are adapted to be inserted, along with their supportingshaft through the relatively small pouring opening provided in the lidof such a paint can, while the operating mechanism of the mixer remainson the outside of and is supported from the can.

In cans of this type the pouring opening is disposed relatively close toone side of the can, and another important object of the invention is toprovide the mixer with a novel mount arranged to be supported from oneside of the can in such a manner that, while the paddle supporting shaftof the mixer will project through the offcenter pouring opening of thecan, the mixing paddles, which are on the outer end of the shaft, willbe disposed in an operating position in the can near the central areathereof and so that the best mixing action is obtained.

By reason of the above arrangement, the paint may be thoroughly mixed inthe can Without first removing the lid therefrom. As a result, themixing operation can be carried out without danger of the agitated paintbeing splashed from or overflowing the top of the can.

An additional object of the invention is to mount the paddles of themixer in such a manner that they may be adjusted to suit paint materialsof different viscosities.

It is also an object of the invention to provide mixer supporting, canengaging hangers arranged so that cans of different diameters may beengaged by the hangers without loss of effectiveness or rigidity ofsupport.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint mixer which isdesigned for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a' practical,reliable, and durable paint mixer and one which is exceedingly effectivefor the purpose for which it is designed;

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the improved paint mixer, partly brokenout and in section, shown as mounted on a closed paint can.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken on line 3- 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the mixer, showing a modified form ofhanger unit and mixing paddle; the paddle being disposed in a relativelysmall open can while the hanger unit is mounted on a larger can in whichthe small can is disposed.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation partly broken out and insection, of the paddle shown in FIG. 4 but with added mixing blades.

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Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, and at present to the structure shown in FIGS.1-3, the paint mixer comprises an electric motor 1 (preferably oftwospeed type) controlled by a switch 2 mounted on top of the motor andinterposed in the current supply cord 3 leading to the motor. The lowerend of the motor shaft 4 is detachably connected, by a coupling sleeve5, with an elongated extension shaft 6 which is thus in effect a part ofthe motor shaft itself.

The lower end of the shaft 6 is formed with an enlarged verticallyslotted head 7 in which a pair of separately pivoted mixing paddles 8are mounted. The arrangement is such that the paddles 8 may depend fromthe head 7 in substantial alinement with the shaft 6 and in side-by-siderelation as shown in full lines in FIG. 1, or by reason of rapidrotation of the shaft and the resultant centrifugal action, may swingout to extend at right angles to the axis of the shaft as indicated indotted lines in FIG. 1. The shaft 6 being removable, other shafts,having paddles of different shapes or pitches, may be installed in lieuthereof.

The motor 1 is adapted to be supported from a large standard size paintcan 9 in the following manner:

A C-shaped frame 10 straddles and is mounted on the motor 1; such frameincluding a straight portion 11 adjacent and parallel to one side of themotor. A pair of transversely spaced rigid bars 12 are secured to anddepend from said frame portion 11; said bars at their upper end beingconnected by a cross handle 13 so that the device can be easily carriedand manipulated.

At their lower end, the bars 12 extend some distance below the sleeve 5and are secured on an arcuate hanger 14 having a curvature the same asthat of the periphery of the can 9. The hanger 14 is shaped in crosssection 'to engage over the rim bead 15 of the can 9 in holding relationas shown in FIG. 1; such hanger including a depending leg 16 whichengages the outside of the can some distance below the bead 15, and tothe back of which leg 16 the bars 12 are secured.

When the mixer is to be used, the can 9 remains closed and the onlyaccess to the interior thereof is had through the initially cappedpouring opening 17 in the lid 1-8 of the can, and which opening is asusual close to one side of the can as shown. The hanger 14 is designedand positioned relative to the bars 12 and the shaft 6, and with regardto the distance from the opening 17 to the can rim head 15, so that saidshaft 6 will project through such opening 17 when the hanger 14 isengaged with the rim bead 15. Also, the mixer as a whole will then bedisposed at an acute angle to the axis of the can and such that thelower end of the shaft 6, and the paddles 8 thereon, will be close tothe bottom of the can in substantially the central area thereof.

With the mixer thus supported from the can, operation of the motor 1 andresultant rotation of shaft 6 will cause the paddles 8 to move, bycentrifugal force, radially out to paint agitating and mixing position.Since the can remains closed except for the relatively small opening 17,the mixing operation is effected without any danger of the paint beingsplashed from the can.

As the paddles 8 are pivoted on the head 7 and relatively close to eachother or folded when the shaft 6 is not rotating, said shaft and thepaddles can be easily projected through the small opening 17 uponplacement of the mixer on (or removing it from) the can.

In FIGS. 4-7, the mixer, while of generally the same construction asabove described, is intended to be supported from a large paint can 19,not necessarily always of the same size and so that the mixing paddlesmay operate directly in said can 19, or in a small open can 20positioned within the can 19 as shown in FIG. 4.

To accommodate the mixer to such use, the motor supporting bars 12a areformed on their lower ends with horizontal flanges 21 which are parallelto each other and project across the rim of the can. Separate arcuatelyshort hangers 22, of generally the same cross sectional form as thehanger 14, engage over the rim =bead 2-3 of the can, as well as theinterior and exterior faces of the side of the can below the bead, asshown.

The hangers 22 are flat on top and matchingly engage the underside ofthe flanges 21; the hangers 22 each being rotatably adjustably securedto the related flange 21. This is accomplished by means of a stud 24fixed on each hanger and projecting upwardly through the related flange21; the stud above the flange being engaged by a clamping nut 25. Byfirst loosening the nuts 25 the hangers 22 may be rotatably adjusted sothat they will both fit about the rim of the can 19 regardless of thediameter thereof; the nuts being then re-tightened.

Also, when the mixer is to be used in an open can, it is not necessarythat the mixing paddles be foldable and the slotted head on theelongated extension shaft (as in FIG. 1) is not employed. Instead thecorresponding extension shaft 6a is provided with a flattened outer end26. A single mixing paddle 27, in the form of an elongated wire loop ofrectangular form and set on edge, projects through and is secured insaid flattened end 26 and extends an equal distance on both sidesthereof.

In addition, said flattened shaft end 26 may be provided, above thepaddle 27, with a pair of oppositely sloping mixing blades 28 whichproject from opposite sides of the end 26. In order to secure the blades28 in place, they are formed at the inner ends with upstanding flanges29 which abut against the opposite sides of the shaft end 26 and aresecured thereto by a transverse clamping bolt 30. The angularity of themixing blades 28 relative to each other, and hence their mixing action,may be altered to suit different conditions, or said blades may bewholly removed if their use at any time is not desired.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A paint mixer for use in a paint can comprising a rotary dependingshaft having paint mixing elements on its lower end, operating means forthe shaft connected to the upper end thereof, and means detachablysupporting the operating means from one side of the can with the shaftprojecting into said can; the supporting means including a pair of rigidtransversely spaced depending bars, separate hangers shaped to straddleand engage the rim of the can at circumferentially spaced pointsthereon, and means securing the hangers to the bars for rotationrelative thereto about vertical axes.

2. A structure, as in claim 1, in which the top surfaces of the hangersare fl-at and horizontal, and the last named means comprises flangesformed with and projecting from the lower ends of the bars and overlyingand flatly engaging said top surfaces of the hangers, a stud secured inand projecting upwardly from the top of each hanger through the relatedflange in turnable relation, and a clamping nut on the upper end of suchstud.

3. A paint mixer for use in a paint can comprising a rotary dependingshaft having paint mixing elements on its lower end, operating means forthe shaft connected to the upper end thereof, means detachablysupporting the operating means from one side of the can with the shaftprojecting into said can, the mixing elements being blades projectingfrom opposite sides of the shaft and disposed at opposite angles to eachother in a transverse plane, and means securing the blades to the shaftfor adjustment of the angularity of the blades relative to each other;the lower end portion of the shaft being flattened, and said bladesecuring means comprising upstanding flanges on the adjacent ends of theblades abutting said flattened end portion of the shaft, and a clampingbolt projecting through the flanges and said shaft portion and on whichbolt the flanges are separately turnable.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,569 8/1887Wikidal 259106 1,227,671 5/1917 Robertson 259- 2,193,686 3/1940 Craddock259133 2,250,142 7/ 1941 Urnstead 259122 X 2,636,720 4/ 1953 Forrest259-13O 3,068,186 12/1962 Paulus et al. 3,132,849 5/1964 Kritik-son259l34 3,145,018 8/1964 Goodwiller 259-435 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,207 2/ 1907Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A PAINT MIXER FOR USE IN A PAINT CAN COMPRISING A ROTARY DEPENDINGSHAFT HAVING PAINT MIXING ELEMENTS ON ITS LOWER END, OPERATING MEANS FORTHE SHAFT CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END THEREOF, AND MEANS DETACHABLYSUPPORTING THE OPERATING MEANS FROM ONE SIDE OF THE CAN WITH THE SHAFTPROJECTING INTO SAID CAN; THE SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF RIGIDTRANSVERSELY SPACED DEPENDING BARS, SEPARATE HANGERS SPACED TO STRADDLEAND ENGAGE THE RIMS OF THE CAN AT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POINTSTHEREON AND MEANS SECURING THE HANGERS TO THE BARS FOR ROTATION RELATIVETHERETO ABOUT VERTICAL AXES.